Improvement in abdominal suppoetees



A. FVJENNINGS, OFI-SHERMAN, NEW YORK.

Letters .Patent No. 81,5410, dated August 25, 18,68; antdted August 15, 1.868.

' IMPROVBMENTIN ABDOMINAL snrronrnns.

@te grinta-le maar in in ilgtsi'tdteit ztuit init mating mit rf its same.

To lAnn WHoM 1r MAY` eoNonnN;

Beit known that I,'A. F. JNNINGS, of Sherman, Chautauqua county, New York, have invented a certain new and'useful Improvement in Hernia] `and Abdominal Supporters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in whichv i Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved supporter. Figure 2 is a vertical section of the pad. Figure 3 i's an edge' view of the pad and elastic portion of the strap.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

r My invention consists in the combination of an elastic band and a'chcck-strapwith a body-belt, so arranged that while the elastic strap allows a free distension or expansion tothe proper degree, the check-strap limits such expansion to prevent overstrainj; it also consists ina peculiar form of the pad, as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, A represents a belt, to be worn around the body, made of leather, or any suitable material. B isa small'elastic strap, running from the belt Clown between the legs, and brougha: up and fastened to the back or side of the body-bel'tiby a button, orotherwise, to keep it in place. AC is an elastic band, attached by itseen'treto the pad, its ends beinggsecurely fastened byffastenings a a, in any suitable manner, to the bodyp belt A. Dis -the cheek-strap, and. isformed either separate, or of that portion of the body-belt intervening between the attachments of the elastic band. It bows over the elastic band loosely, as shown at 6 so that when the said elastic band expands, it takes up the slack of this check-strap, which thus serves as the check or stop. i y ,l i y E is the pad, preferably oval in shape, made of wood or any other suitable material, and generally covered with some soft substance, such as porous 'leathen The inner portion, c, of the 4pad that touches the rupture, rises in its centre to a level with the outer rim, d, of said pad, the part between the outer rim and centre being hollowcd, as shown at fin g. 2. n

i NF is a 'smallv leather strap, passing over thceheck-strap D and elastic band C, and back of the pad,v and fastened at the top 4and bottom of the pad. Its object is to hold down the bowing part of theeheckstrap D, to keep it out. of the wayef the wearer. G is a leatherpad, through which the body-belt passes. It is intended to ease the pressure of the belt on the back of the wearer. 'Y Most trusses and supporters are inelastic in a longitudinal direction, which is a very great inconvenience to the wearer in many positions, besides being painful. It is my object in this invention to remedy this defect. The interpcsition of the elastic band Cfallows the necessary distension of the abdomen either in breathing or in working. At'the same timethe cheek-strap D prevents any overstrain, by straightening as the band' expands. i v l l The fastenings a allow the'aljustment of/the elastic band and cheek-strap'to just the desired degree, to adapt them to the wants of the person, and they also allow compensation as the band permanently-stretches. The supporter is `thus tted ina few moments time to any person by simply taking up or letting out the belt and the check-strap, an effect, so far as I am. aware, never before accomplished in any other device of the kind. By this means I am enabled to avoidlthe manufacture of a great variety of sizes, as in other trusses.

The peculiar formation ofthe pad, with the central elevation eand the oute` rim cl, is of much importance in drawing the walls of the rupture' together, and vproducing a tendency to el: and heal the breach. The

central elevation bears upon the protruding parts 'from the opening untilthe outer lrim, fitting outside the walls,

draws them together in the depression j'. The pad thus formed fits easily and accurately, and causes but little inconvenience to the wearer. A l l" I I i What I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 4is-` 1. -The Vccnnhination of the interposed elastic band C and the check-strap D with the bodybelt A and pad E, arranged and operating in manner and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. 'lhe formation ofthe pad with the central .elevation c, raised rim d, and intermediate annular depression rf, in the manner and for the-purpose specified.y

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

A. r. JENNINGS.

Witnesses:

. ALBERT HAIGHT, J. R, Dunne. 

